


A Love, Unforsaken

by badskippy



Series: Bagginshield One-Offs [22]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Boys In Love, Flowers, M/M, True Love, Unrequited Love, unstated love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-07
Updated: 2017-10-07
Packaged: 2019-01-10 05:15:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12292056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badskippy/pseuds/badskippy
Summary: Bilbo takes a walk and Thorin comes along.  There is some teasing, some storytelling, and of course, some unstated feels ... in other words, it's a Bagginshield Fic!





	A Love, Unforsaken

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aquileaofthelonelymountain](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aquileaofthelonelymountain/gifts), [Neeka](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neeka/gifts), [beetle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/beetle/gifts), [rhiannaeverlasting](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=rhiannaeverlasting), [Seezuu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seezuu/gifts), [life_is_righteous](https://archiveofourown.org/users/life_is_righteous/gifts).



* * *

 

 

           As the days changed, becoming a little darker a little earlier, the company knew, without being told, that their rest at Beorn’s estate was coming to an end.  Most were eager to get back on the road; the forest of Mirkwood had still to be transversed and they were not looking forward to the journey through the Woodland Realm.   They wanted it over with as soon as possible and the sooner they left the Bear-Man’s home, the sooner they’d arrived at the blasted grove of the Elves, the sooner they could put it behind them.

           Yet one in the company did not seem so eager to leave.  Bilbo took every opportunity to walk the fields and small knolls around the property, even in the daytime.  Many could not understand why Bilbo would bother; there was nothing extraordinary about the acres surrounding the compound.  A few older, wiser Dwarves understood; they knew of the bond Hobbits had with the land and the things that grew, as it was much like their own connection with rock, stone, and mountains.  But Most thought it foolish; even with the Skinchanger about, the chance of Orc attacks was too great in their opinion.

           However, one Dwarf knew of all that and still he would not say no to BIlbo, instead he accompanied Bilbo on his walks, least the Hobbit came to any harm.

           With a sigh, Bilbo stopped in his tracks and looked to the sky.  “I think it’s time we head back.”

           “If you think so,” Thorin said, standing back, giving Bilbo room to breathe and dig his toes into the soft soil.  He’d observed the behavior many times at that point and while he did not know the significance, nor if Bilbo was even aware he was doing it, Thorin felt that it must be of importance, even if unconsciously done, and therefore made no comment of it.

           “The sun is setting,” Bilbo said, turning for a moment to face the dim orb in the sky, obscured now by clouds.  “It will be unsafe.”

           Thorin raised an eyebrow, amused.  “Do you doubt my ability to protect you?”

           Bilbo giggled.  “So says the Dwarf used as a Warg’s chew thing!”

           Thorin laughed at that but placing a hand over his heart dramatically.  “You wound me deeply, Master Hobbit!”

           Bilbo smiled.  “My apologies, Master Dwarf.”  Bilbo bent down and picked a single, bright, white flower and held it out for Thorin to take.  “My intention was to scratch, not to cut.”

           Thorin took the white flower, quickly smelling it; a musky smell with a hint of sweetness underneath.  “Thank you.”

           “It is … Simbelmynë,” Bilbo clarified.  “It usually grows on … on graves and tombs.”

           Both of Thorin’s eyebrows went up.  “And you now gift it to me?  Do you think me doomed?”

           “I … uhm … no!”  Bilbo said, shaking his head.

           Thorin smiled.  “Peace, Bilbo.  Like you, I only meant to tease, not to hurt.”

           Bilbo blushed.  “It was just here and I grabbed it … it … it wasn’t meant to mean anything, really.  Although …”  Bilbo’s blushed deepened just a bit.

           “Although …?” Thorin pushed gently.

           Bilbo started walking away and answered without turning.  Not facing Thorin.  “Men believe it to be a sad flower …”

           “You did say it grows on graves.”

           “Yes, but … to Hobbits, it is more about …”

           “Again you hesitate.”

           “It’s more about … love.”

           Thorin was surprised.  “Love?”

           Bilbo sighed, still not turning.  “There is a legend that a beautiful lady, upon hearing that her one true love had left her, wept bitterly for him and her love was so great, even in her grief, that small flowers … Simbelmynë … sprang from the ground where her tears fell.  But the lover had not forsaken her and when he saw his lady weeping, he cradled her so and loved her all the more because of her tears.  From then on, he carried a flower everywhere so that his lady’s love would be with him always, ever on his mind, and he from that flower, he drew great strength of spirit and courage so that he would always return to her.”

           Thorin stood still, marveling a little at the Bilbo.  “That is a beautiful story,” Thorin said, holding the flower a little tighter in his hand.

           Bilbo shrugged.  “The name itself … Simbelmynë … means ‘Ever-Mind’ in Elvish and Men believe that is why it grows on graves and tombs so that the dead are ‘Ever’ in the minds of those left behind.  But to Hobbits, it more like …”

           “Forget me not,” Thorin added.  “Or forget not of my love.”

           “Yes,” Bilbo said, adding, “although we do have a Forget-Me-Not flower … literally named that.”

           “Still,” Thorin said, “Simbelmynë is more ‘My love was believed forsaken, but it is still true’ … correct?”

           Bilbo laughed softly, turning quickly to give Thorin an equally soft, cheeky smile.  “A little verbose, perhaps, but … the sentiment is there.”

           Thorin returned the smile and gave Bilbo a wink to show that there was no offense.  As they walked, Bilbo was positive that Thorin would toss the little flower away, but instead, unseen by Bilbo and unstated by Thorin, the Dwarf-king took another quick smell of the sweet, musky flower and then tucked it into his armor.  He did not, and would not, say but like the lover of the tale, he would carry the flower with him to remember the one being he cared for … that he loved … and he would indeed draw strength and courage from the tiny blossom tucked close to his heart.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> the 'legend' that Bilbo tells Thorin is based on Aphrodite and Adonis ... and the creation of the flower genus 'anemone' ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anemone ... if you look it up, go the Wiki page and go all the way to the bottom under 'Anemone in Culture'
> 
> Bilbo's comment about meaning 'to scratch, not to cut' was based on a very similar line from the 2002 movie, POSSESSION, by A.S. Byatt ... one of my favorite movies (although so many disliked it).


End file.
